Synopses & Reviews
What would cause someone to withstand freezing temperatures in a cramped wooden box for hours on end, or stand in waist-high rushing waters, flicking a pole back and forth over and overandmdash;in many cases with nothing whatsoever to show for his efforts? Why is it that, into the twenty-first century, with the convenience of practically any type of red meat or fish available at the local supermarket, we continue to hunt game and fish on open waters? The answer is that no matter how sophisticated we think we are, no matter how technologically advanced we become, there is still something deep within us that beckons us to andldquo;the hunt.andrdquo;
This desire creates the customs, beliefs, and rituals related to huntingandmdash;for deer, hogs, and other four-legged critters, as well as fish and snakes, and other things that perhaps arenandrsquo;t physically alive, but capture our interest as much as the prey mentioned above. These rituals and customs lead to some of our most treasured stories, legends, and practices. This volume of the Publications of the Texas Folklore Society includes serious, introspective articles on hunting and fishing, as well as humorous tall tales and andldquo;windiesandrdquo; about the big ones that got awayandmdash;all lore that reminds us of that drive that calls us to become predators again.
Review
andquot;While the particular details of rod and gun are always prominent, more often than not it is the social bond, the passing on of tradition that is the abiding subject of these essays. . . . Editor Kenneth L. Untiedt and the Texas Folklore Society have produced another fine annual volume, as eagerly anticipated as the opening of dove season or an early morning fishing trip. Readers who are interested in these matters should not let this one get away.andquot;--
Southwestern Historical QuarterlySynopsis
No matter how sophisticated or technologically advanced we become, there is still something within that beckons us to andldquo;the hunt.andrdquo; This desire creates the customs, beliefs, and rituals related to huntingandmdash;for deer, hogs, as well as fish and snakes, etc. These rituals and customs lead to some of our most treasured folklore.and#160;
About the Author
KENNETH L. UNTIEDT is the Secretary-Editor of the Texas Folklore Society. He earned his bachelorandrsquo;s, masterandrsquo;s, and doctoral degrees from Texas Tech University, and is now an associate professor of English at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas.